Home › Spine › TM 35599
One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 35599

Letter from Ptolemaios to the goldsmith Aphyngios about goods sent by camel TM 35599OxyrhynchosV

The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →

A Christian letter from Ptolemaios of Takona to his 'brother' Aphyngios, a goldsmith, asking him to accompany a camel-driver and receive a consignment of food and goods sent to Isak, including bread, radish oil, vinegar, wine, cheeses and a small fan. It comes from Oxyrhynchus and dates to the 5th century AD.

In English machine translation

[recto] To my truly beloved brother Aphyngios, Ptolemaios from Takona. Since your love has pleased God, it is our duty to praise you for your good repute, brother. Be so good, if it is agreeable to you, as to go with […] the camel-driver until you receive quickly the things sent by me to Isak, that is, 2 pairs of loaves and 1 jar of radish oil holding about 2 xestai, and a double jar of ordinary (?) vinegar […] and 1 omphakera (?) of wine and 1 […] and […] 1 […] and 3 cheeses and […] half and 1 small fan and […] to the brother; and whatever the camel-driver receives from him, let me know the full account of what it is, so that the camel-driver may take it. I greet my honoured mother Kyra and all my friends. I was not able […] to send him, but with God's help I will soon send you a blessing (?). I pray for your health. [verso] To my truly beloved brother Aphyngios, goldsmith, Ptolemaios from Takona.

'Brother' is likely a Christian form of address rather than kinship. 'Eulogia' (blessing) often denotes a gift, and 'omphakera' seems to be a container or measure for wine of uncertain meaning.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter to a Goldsmith). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.

DDbDP-text Full record →

p.oxy.16.1870

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · V · Oxyrhynchos

[r] τῷ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀγαπητῷ ἀδελφῷ Ἀφυγγίῳ Πτολεμαῖος ἀπὸ Τακόνα. ἐπεί σου ἡ ἀγάπη ἤρεσεν τῷ θεῷ, δέον ἡμῶν ἐστὶν τοῦ σε εὐδοκιμοῦντα ἐπαινεῖν, ἄδελφε. καταξίωσον, ἐὰν ᾖ σοι κεχαρισμένον, συνελθεῖν […]…[…] τῷ καμηλαρίῳ ἄχρις οὗ τὰ ἀποσταλέντα ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ τῷ Ἰσὰκ λάβῃς κατὰ τάχος, τουτέ…